Surgeon Performance as a Predictor for Patient-Reported Outcomes After Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy.

Background: Surgeon performance has been investigated as a factor affecting patient outcomes after orthopaedic procedures to improve transparency between patients and providers. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to identify whether surgeon performance influenced patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) 1 year after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM). It was hypothesized that there would be no significant difference in PROMs between patients who underwent APM from various surgeons. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A prospective cohort of 794 patients who underwent APM between 2018 and 2019 were included in the analysis. A total of 34 surgeons from a large multicenter health care center were included. Three multivariable models were built to determine whether the surgeon-among demographic and meniscal pathology factors-was a significant variable for predicting the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)-Pain subscale, the Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS), and a 10-point improvement in the KOOS-Pain at 1 year after APM. Likelihood ratio (LR) tests were used to determine the significance of the surgeon variable in the models. Results: The 794 patients were identified from the multicenter hospital system. The baseline KOOS-Pain score was a significant predictor of outcome in the 1-year KOOS-Pain model (odds ratio [OR], 2.1 [95% CI, 1.77-2.48]; P < .001), the KOOS-Pain 10-point improvement model (OR, 0.57 [95% CI, 0.44-0.73), and the 1-year PASS model (OR, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.15-1.76]; P = .002) among articular cartilage pathology (bipolar medial cartilage) and patient-factor variables, including body mass index, Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey-Mental Component Score, and Area Deprivation Index. The individual surgeon significantly impacted outcomes in the 1-year KOOS-Pain mixed model in the LR test (P = .004). Conclusion: Patient factors and characteristics are better predictors for patient outcomes 1 year after APM than surgeon characteristics, specifically baseline KOOS-Pain, although an individual surgeon influenced the 1-Year KOOS-Pain mixed model in the LR test. This finding has key clinical implications; surgeons who wish to improve patient outcomes after APM should focus on improving patient selection rather than improving the surgical technique. Future research is needed to determine whether surgeon variability has an impact on longer-term patient outcomes.

Intrarater and Interrater Reliability of Radiographic Characteristics in Skeletally Immature Patients With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears: A PLUTO Study Group Reliability Study.

BACKGROUND: Radiographic measurements of limb alignment in skeletally immature patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are frequently used for surgical decision-making, preoperative planning, and postoperative monitoring of skeletal growth. However, the interrater and intrarater reliability of these radiographic characteristics in this patient population is not well documented. HYPOTHESIS: Excellent reliability across 4 raters will be demonstrated for all digital measures of length, coronal plane joint orientation angles, mechanical axis, and tibial slope in skeletally immature patients with ACL tears. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study (diagnosis). METHODS: Three fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeons and 1 medical student performed 2 rounds of radiographic measurements on digital imaging (lateral knee radiographs and long-leg radiographs) of skeletally immature patients with ACL tears. Intrarater and interrater reliability for continuous radiographic measurements was assessed with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) across 4 raters with 95% CIs for affected and unaffected side measurements. Interrater reliability analysis used an ICC (2, 4) structure and intrarater reliability analysis used an ICC (2, 1) structure. A weighted kappa coefficient was calculated for ordinal variables along with 95% CIs for both interrater and intrarater reliability. Agreement statistic interpretations are based on scales described by Fleiss, and Cicchetti and Sparrow: <0.40, poor; 0.40 to 0.59, fair; 0.60 to 0.74, good; and >0.74, excellent. RESULTS: Radiographs from a convenience sample of 43 patients were included. Intrarater reliability was excellent for nearly all measurements and raters. Interrater reliability was also excellent for nearly all reads for all measurements. CONCLUSION: Radiographic reliability of long-leg radiographs and lateral knee x-rays in skeletally immature children with ACL tears is excellent across nearly all measures and raters and can be obtained and interpreted as reliable and reproducible means to measure limb length and alignment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Evaluation of Health Care Disparities in Patients With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: Does Race and Insurance Matter?

Background: It is unknown whether race- or insurance-based disparities in health care exist regarding baseline knee pain, knee function, complete meniscal tear, or articular cartilage damage in patients who undergo anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Hypothesis: Black patients and patients with Medicaid evaluated for ACLR would have worse baseline knee pain, worse knee function, and greater odds of having a complete meniscal tear. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A cohort of patients (N = 1463; 81% White, 14% Black, 5% Other race; median age, 22 years) who underwent ACLR between February 2015 and December 2018 was selected from an institutional database. Patients who underwent concomitant procedures and patients of undisclosed race or self-pay status were excluded. The associations of race with preoperative Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) Pain subscale, KOOS Function subscale, and intraoperatively assessed complete meniscal tear (tear that extended through both the superior and the inferior meniscal surfaces) were determined via multivariate modeling with adjustment for age, sex, insurance status, years of education, smoking status, body mass index (BMI), meniscal tear location, and Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey Mental Component Score (VR-12 MCS). Results: The 3 factors most strongly associated with worse KOOS Pain and KOOS Function were lower VR-12 MCS score, increased BMI, and increased age. Except for age, the other two factors had an unequal distribution between Black and White patients. Univariate analysis demonstrated equal baseline median KOOS Pain scores (Black, 72.2; White, 72.2) and KOOS Function scores (Black, 68.2; White, 68.2). After adjusting for confounding variables, there was no significant difference between Black and White patients in KOOS Pain, KOOS Function, or complete meniscal tears. Insurance status was not a significant predictor of KOOS Pain, KOOS Function, or complete meniscal tear. Conclusion: There were clinically significant differences between Black and White patients evaluated for ACLR. After accounting for confounding factors, no difference was observed between Black and White patients in knee pain, knee function, or complete meniscal tear. Insurance was not a clinically significant predictor of knee pain, knee function, or complete meniscal tear.

Posteromedial Tibial Bone Bruise After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: An MRI Study of Bone Bruise Patterns in 208 Patients.

Background: Bone bruise patterns after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture may predict the presence of intra-articular pathology and help explain the mechanism of injury. Lateral femoral condyle (LFC) and lateral tibial plateau (LTP) bone bruises are pathognomic to ACL rupture. There is a lack of information regarding medial tibial plateau (MTP) and medial femoral condyle (MFC) bone bruises. Purpose: To summarize the prevalence and location of MTP bone bruises with acute ACL rupture and to determine the predictors of MTP bone bruises. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Inclusion criteria were patients who underwent ACL reconstruction between February 2015 and November 2017, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within 90 days of injury, and participation in the database. Exclusion criteria included previous ipsilateral surgery, multiligamentous injuries, and incomplete imaging. Due to the large number of cases remaining (n = 600), 150 patients were selected randomly from each year included in the study, for a total of 300 patients. Two readers independently reviewed injury MRI scans using the Costa-Paz bone bruise grading system. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with MTP bone bruises. Results: Included were 208 patients (mean age, 23.8 years; mean body mass index, 25.6). The mechanism of injury was noncontact in 59% of injuries, with over half from soccer, basketball, and football. The median time from injury to MRI scan was 12 days. Of the 208 patients, 98% (203/208) had a bone bruise, 79% (164/208) had an MTP bone bruise, and 83% (172/208) had bruises in both medial and lateral compartments. The most common pattern, representing 46.6% of patients (97/208), was a bruise in all 4 locations (MFC, LFC, MTP, and LTP). Of the 164 MTP bruises, 160 (98%) involved the posterior third of the plateau, and 161 were grade 1. The presence of an MFC bruise was the only independent risk factor for an MTP bruise (odds ratio, 3.71). The resulting nomogram demonstrated MFC bruise, sport, and mechanism of injury were the most important predictors of an MTP bruise. Conclusion: MTP bruise after acute ACL rupture was as prevalent as lateral bruises. The presence of a posterior MTP bruise suggested anterior tibial translation at the time of injury and could portend more medial compartment pathology at the time of injury than previously recognized.

Return to Sports After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Validity and Reliability of the SPORTS Score at 6 and 12 Months.

Background: The Subjective Patient Outcome for Return to Sports (SPORTS) score is a single-item scale that measures athletes' ability to return to their preinjury sport based on effort and performance. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the SPORTS score and a modified score within the first year after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The modified version replaced "same sport" with "any sport" in the answer choices. It was hypothesized that both versions of the SPORTS score would have acceptable floor and ceiling effects and internal responsiveness, moderate convergent validity, and excellent test-retest reliability. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Patients were recruited preoperatively from 2 academic medical centers. The authors collected responses to the 1-item SPORTS scores at 6 and 12 months after ACLR and the Tegner activity scale, Lysholm knee score, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)-sport/recreation subscale, and Marx activity rating scale preoperatively and 6 and 12 months after ACLR. Ceiling and floor effects and responsiveness were assessed using descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations, respectively, at both follow-up time points. Spearman correlations and intraclass correlation coefficients were used to examine convergent validity and test-retest reliability, respectively. Results: Follow-up rates at 6 and 12 months were 100% and 99%, respectively. Test-retest follow-up was 77%. Floor effects for the SPORTS scores were not observed, while ceiling effects at 12 months ranged from 38% to 40%. Cross-tabulation of the SPORTS scores showed that 64% to 66% of patients reported a change in their score from 6 to 12 months, with significant differences noted between the proportions that improved versus worsened for return to any sport. Convergent validity was observed at 6 and 12 months via moderate correlations with the Tegner, Lysholm, KOOS-sport/recreation, and Marx scores (r = 0.31 to 0.47). Fair to good test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.58 and 0.60) was found at 12 months after ACLR. Conclusion: The SPORTS score appears to be a reliable, responsive, and valid 1-item scale that can be used during the first year after ACLR. No differences in psychometric properties were found between the SPORTS score and the modified version.

Assessment of Skeletal Maturity and Postoperative Growth Disturbance After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Skeletally Immature Patients: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Growth disturbance is an uncommon but potentially serious complication after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in skeletally immature patients. PURPOSE: To describe how the pediatric ACL literature has assessed preoperative skeletal maturity and the amount of growth remaining and to comprehensively review the incidence, reporting, and monitoring of postoperative growth disturbance. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: This review included studies reporting original research of clinical outcomes of skeletally immature patients after ACL reconstruction. Patient characteristics, surgical techniques, preoperative assessments of skeletal maturity or growth remaining, and postoperative assessments of growth disturbances were extracted. RESULTS: A total of 100 studies met inclusion criteria. All studies reported chronological age, and 28 studies (28%) assessed skeletal age. A total of 44 studies (44%) used Tanner staging, and 12 studies (12%) obtained standing hip-to-ankle radiographs preoperatively. In total, 42 patients (2.1%) demonstrated a leg length discrepancy (LLD) >10 mm postoperatively, including 9 patients (0.5%) with LLD >20 mm; furthermore, 11 patients (0.6%) with LLD underwent growth modulation. Shortening was the most common deformity overall, but overgrowth was reported more frequently in patients who had undergone all-epiphyseal techniques. Most LLDs involved the femur (83%). A total of 26 patients (1.3%) demonstrated a postoperative angular deformity ≥5°, and 9 of these patients underwent growth modulation. The most common deformities were femoral valgus (41%), tibial recurvatum (33%), and tibial varus (22%). Although standing hip-to-ankle radiographs were the most common radiographic assessment of growth disturbance, most studies inadequately reported the clinical and radiographic methods of assessment for growth disturbance. Additionally, only 35% of studies explicitly followed patients to skeletal maturity. CONCLUSION: This systematic review described significant variability in the reporting and monitoring of growth-related complications after ACL reconstruction in skeletally immature patients. The incidence of LLD and angular deformity appeared to be low, but the quality of research was not comprehensive enough for accurate assessment. REGISTRATION: CRD42019136059 (PROSPERO).

Early Operative Versus Delayed Operative Versus Nonoperative Treatment of Pediatric and Adolescent Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Treatment options for pediatric and adolescent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries include early operative, delayed operative, and nonoperative management. Currently, there is a lack of consensus regarding the optimal treatment for these injuries. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose was to determine the optimal treatment strategy for ACL injuries in pediatric and adolescent patients. We hypothesized that (1) early ACL reconstruction results in fewer meniscal tears than delayed reconstruction but yields no difference in knee stability and (2) when compared with nonoperative management, any operative management results in fewer meniscal tears and cartilage injuries, greater knee stability, and higher return-to-sport rates. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: A systematic search of databases was performed including PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Inclusion criteria were a pediatric and adolescent patient population (≤19 years old at surgery), the reporting of clinical outcomes after treatment of primary ACL injury, and original scientific research article. Exclusion criteria were revision ACL reconstruction, tibial spine avulsion fracture, case report or small case series (<5 patients), non-English language manuscripts, multiligamentous injuries, and nonclinical studies. RESULTS: A total of 30 studies containing 50 cohorts and representing 1176 patients met our criteria. With respect to nonoperative treatment, knee instability was observed in 20% to 100%, and return to preinjury level of sports ranged from 6% to 50% at final follow-up. Regarding operative treatment, meta-analysis results favored early ACL reconstruction over delayed reconstruction (>12 weeks) for the presence of any meniscal tear (odds ratio, 0.23; P = .006) and irreparable meniscal tear (odds ratio, 0.31; P = .001). Comparison of any side-to-side differences in KT-1000 arthrometer testing did not favor early or delayed ACL reconstruction in either continuous mean differences (P = .413) or proportion with difference ≥3 mm (P = .181). Return to preinjury level of competition rates for early and delayed ACL reconstruction ranged from 57% to 100%. CONCLUSION: Delaying ACL reconstruction in pediatric or adolescent patients for >12 weeks significantly increased the risk of meniscal injuries and irreparable meniscal tears; however, early and delayed operative treatment achieved satisfactory knee stability. Nonoperative management resulted in high rates of residual knee instability, increased risk of meniscal tears, and comparatively low rates of return to sports.

Machine Learning Outperforms Regression Analysis to Predict Next-Season Major League Baseball Player Injuries: Epidemiology and Validation of 13,982 Player-Years From Performance and Injury Profile Trends, 2000-2017.

BACKGROUND: Machine learning (ML) allows for the development of a predictive algorithm capable of imbibing historical data on a Major League Baseball (MLB) player to accurately project the player's future availability. PURPOSE: To determine the validity of an ML model in predicting the next-season injury risk and anatomic injury location for both position players and pitchers in the MLB. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. METHODS: Using 4 online baseball databases, we compiled MLB player data, including age, performance metrics, and injury history. A total of 84 ML algorithms were developed. The output of each algorithm reported whether the player would sustain an injury the following season as well as the injury's anatomic site. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) primarily determined validation. RESULTS: Player data were generated from 1931 position players and 1245 pitchers, with a mean follow-up of 4.40 years (13,982 player-years) between the years of 2000 and 2017. Injured players spent a total of 108,656 days on the disabled list, with a mean of 34.21 total days per player. The mean AUC for predicting next-season injuries was 0.76 among position players and 0.65 among pitchers using the top 3 ensemble classification. Back injuries had the highest AUC among both position players and pitchers, at 0.73. Advanced ML models outperformed logistic regression in 13 of 14 cases. CONCLUSION: Advanced ML models generally outperformed logistic regression and demonstrated fair capability in predicting publicly reportable next-season injuries, including the anatomic region for position players, although not for pitchers.

Smartphone Data Capture Efficiently Augments Dictation for Knee Arthroscopic Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: The objectives of this study are (1) to develop a provider-friendly, evidence-based data capture system for lower-limb orthopaedic surgeries and (2) to assess the performance of the data capture system on the dimensions of agreement with operative note and implant log, consistency of data, and speed of provider input. METHODS: A multidisciplinary team developed a database and user interfaces for Android and iOS operating systems. Branching logic and discrete fields were created to streamline provider data input. One hundred patients were randomly selected from the first four months of data collection (February to June 2015). Patients were limited to those undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, meniscal repair, partial meniscectomy, or a combination of these procedures. Duplicate data on these 100 patients were collected through chart review. These two data sets were compared. Cohen's kappa statistic was used to assess agreement. RESULTS: The database and smartphone data capture tool show almost perfect agreement (kappa > 0.81) for all data tested. In addition, data are more comprehensive with near-perfect provider completion (100% for all data tested). Furthermore, provider data entry is extremely efficient (median 151-second completion time). CONCLUSION: A well-designed database and user-friendly interface have greater potential for research utility, clinical efficiency, and, thus, cost-effectiveness when compared with standard voice-dictated operative notes. Widespread utilization of such tools can accelerate the pace and improve the quality of orthopaedic clinical research. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

What Are the Predictors of Poor Patient-Reported Outcomes After Shoulder Instability Surgery?

BACKGROUND: Prospectively collected responses to Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS) questions after shoulder instability surgery are limited. Responses to these outcome measures are imperative to understanding their clinical utility. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to evaluate which factors predict unfavorable patient-reported outcomes after shoulder instability surgery, including "no" to the PASS question. We hypothesized that poor outcomes would be associated with male adolescents, bone loss, combined labral tears, and articular cartilage injuries. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: Patients aged ≥13 years undergoing shoulder instability surgery were included in point-of-care data collection at a single institution across 12 surgeons between 2015 and 2017. Patients with anterior-inferior labral tears were included, and those with previous ipsilateral shoulder surgery were excluded. Demographics, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) scores, and surgical findings were obtained at baseline. ASES and SANE scores, PASS responses, and early revision surgery rates were obtained at a minimum of 1 year after the surgical intervention. Regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 234 patients met inclusion criteria, of which 176 completed follow-up responses (75.2%). Nonresponders had a younger age, greater frequency of glenoid bone loss, fewer combined tears, and more articular cartilage injuries (P < .05). Responders' mean age was 25.1 years, and 22.2% were female. Early revision surgery occurred in 3.4% of these patients, and 76.1% responded yes to the PASS question. A yes response correlated with a mean 25-point improvement in the ASES score and a 40-point improvement in the SANE score. On multivariate analysis, combined labral tears (anterior-inferior plus superior or posterior tears) were associated with greater odds of responding no to the PASS question, while both combined tears and injured capsules were associated with lower ASES and SANE scores (P < .05). Sex, bone loss, and grade 3 to 4 articular cartilage injuries were not associated with variations on any patient-reported outcome measure. CONCLUSION: Patients largely approved of their symptom state at ≥1 year after shoulder instability surgery. A response of yes to the PASS question was given by 76.1% of patients and was correlated with clinically and statistically significant improvements in ASES and SANE scores. Combined labral tears and injured capsules were negative prognosticators across patient-reported outcome measures, whereas sex, bone loss, and cartilage injuries were not.

Robotically Simulated Pivot Shift That Represents the Clinical Exam.

A thorough understanding of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) function and the effects of surgical interventions on knee biomechanics requires robust technologies and simulation paradigms that align with clinical insight. In vitro orthopedic biomechanical testing for the elucidation of ACL integrity doesn't have an established testing paradigm to simulate the clinical pivot shift exam on cadaveric specimens. The study aim was to develop a robotically simulated pivot shift that represents the clinical exam. An orthopedic surgeon performed a pivot shift on an instrumented ACL-deficient cadaver leg to capture 6 degree-of-freedom motion/loads. The same knee was mounted to the robot and the sensitivity of the motion/loading profiles quantified. Three loading profile candidates that generated positive pivot shifts on the instrumented knee were selected and applied to 7 ACL-intact/deficient specimens and resulted in the identification of a profile that was able to induce a positive pivot shift in all ACL-deficient specimens ( p < 0.001). The simulated shifts began at 22 ± 8° and ended at 33 ± 6° of flexion with the average magnitude of the shifts being 12.8 ± 3.2 mm in anterior tibial translation and 17.6 ± 4.3° in external tibial rotation. The establishment and replication of a robotically simulated clinical pivot shift across multiple specimens show the robustness of the loading profile to accommodate anatomical and experimental variability. Further evaluation and refinement should be undertaken to create a useful tool in evaluating ACL function and reconstruction techniques. Statement of clinical significance: Creation and successful demonstration of the simulated clinical pivot shift validates a profile for robotic musculoskeletal simulators to analyze ACL related clinical questions. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:2601-2608, 2019.

Mapping of cartilage depth in the knee and elbow for use in osteochondral autograft procedures.

BACKGROUND: Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the elbow is a problematic condition that affects a fair number of young athletes. One treatment option is the use of osteochondral autografts, which are commonly taken from donor sites on the less weightbearing surfaces of the knee. PURPOSE: To use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess the cartilage depths of sites in the knee and elbow that are commonly used as donor and recipient sites to optimize depth matching for osteochondral autograft procedures. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive laboratory study. METHODS: All knee and elbow MRI scans acquired from 3-T machines in patients aged 16 to 25 years within a single hospital system were reviewed. Studies were excluded if there had been previous surgery on the joint or if there were significant chondral defects in the areas to be measured. All cartilage depth measurements were independently performed by 3 different physicians to the nearest 0.01 mm. At the elbow, 6 locations on the capitellum and 2 on the trochlea were chosen. At the knee, 4 locations along the anterior-lateral femoral condyle, 5 surrounding the intercondylar notch, and 1 on both the medial- and lateral-posterior femoral condyles were chosen. RESULTS: There were 111 knee MRI (74 male, 37 female) and 94 elbow MRI (85 male, 9 female) scans that met all inclusion criteria. The average cartilage depths from each investigator were then averaged to provide an overall mean depth at each location. All average cartilage depths within the knee were thicker than those in the elbow, where the averaged mean thickness of all the 8 measured sites was 1.27 mm (range, 0.78-1.63 mm). Within the knee, the thinnest areas of cartilage, and therefore closest matches, were discovered at the posterior pole of the medial femoral condyle (mean ± SD, 1.95 ± 0.46 mm) and at the distal-most anterior-lateral femoral condyle (1.85 ± 0.46 mm). The average variance between the mean cartilage depths measured by each investigator for each location was 0.12 mm in the elbow and 0.22 mm in the knee. CONCLUSION: Average cartilage depths in the knee were thicker than those in the elbow at all sites measured. The thinnest areas in the knee were the posterior aspect of the medial femoral condyle and the distal-most aspect of the anterior-lateral femoral condyle. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study provides the surgeon with meaningful data on average cartilage depths at common donor sites in the knee and recipient sites in the elbow.